Evaluating the Waste Issue and Its Environmental Effects in Turkey (1994-2012)

Abstract

Wastes are one of the most significant problems for Turkey. Day-to-day, dramatic, increase of wastes causes serious environmental problems for urban areas. In this research, documents published by Turkish Statistical Institute and Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation have been analysed, and the waste issue in Turkey has been evaluated based on the data spanning from 1994 to 2012. The maps have been produced through use of MapInfo 12.0 software. Data have been converted into maps by using Inverse Distance Weighted Algorithm. Research findings have indicated that municipalities in Turkey are not capable of solving the waste issue, that the wastes are not disposed as properly as they are collected and transferred, and that the wastes are a major source of problem for the environment. Furthermore, the waste sector has been determined to be one of the major actors influencing climate change and global warming due to its role in the emission of greenhouse gases such as methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) and the heavy metals in the wastes such as Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cr.